Program

Monday: Large boats: Use of motorised boats (2. session). Resp: Kjetil Fossheim

Tuesday: Rowboat. Use of rowboats (1. Session). Ansvar: Ketil

Afternoon: Seakajak basics. Len Atkinson

Wednesday: Seakaja

Afternoon : Biology Shallow water. Wading. Species identification. Resp: Svein Grundetjern.

Thursday: Biology deeep water. Snorkling in wetsuits. Resp: Svein Grundetjern

Afternoon: Fish with Island night. Line fishing. Setting nets. Prepare for Island night. Resp: Ketil Østrem

Island survival bivuac:

The intention is for each group to be self sufficient and survive the night on the natural shelter and food resources, animals, snails or mussels which may be found, gathered or caught on the island.  Either because of a capsize or and unexpected / unplanned overnight stay.  Each group may take a storm kitchen or equivalent with them. We would advise taking a sharp knife, fishing line, water bottle , matches. In addition each person may have their own personal clothing for a normal day out on the sea. Take a tarpaulin for 4 people in case of ”very high air humidity”

Groups will receive a small ration of basis food.  Fishing and preparation is a part of the task.

Friday: Catch of the day. Clean nets prepare fish Resp: Kjetil Fossheim

Randøya is an island east of Kristiansand. The island was used by the German- and the Norwegian military until the late 1990’s and there are still many buildings and bunkers on the island. The groups were mixed with the Norwegian students

Activities:

 

Island-tour:

tour through some old military buildings inside the mountain on Randøya. The Norwegians built a bunker, which would have given them protection in case of an nuclear war. We walked into the mountain and got into the main command rooms. It was really impressive to take a look at all the equipment they used.

Large boats

The “large boat” was around 8m long and has a small engine. In Norway you are allowed to drive small engine boats without a license. We practise sea navigation and everyone had the opportunity to steer and to navigate the boat. Those who were not steering or navigating could practise knots or could fish on the open water.

Rowing boats

In this activity we were got some information about the history of rowing boats and theirt influence to the Norwegian culture. Afterwards made a tour with the rowing boats and had some races.

Kajaking

At the first day we were taught a lot of different paddling techniques and kept most of the time in calmer waters. We learned how to build a raft and were taught the “what to do when someone capsize”.

On the second day we could use our first experience from the day before and started a little tour around the island. Peter and me try to roll the kajak and practise how we rescue a capsize person. The first try was not really good the group build the raft not at the person who was rescuing Peter. The second try was way faster and better.

Biology Shallow water

We could walk in the shallow water in suits that were supposed to be waterproof. So we were walking around the bay to look for sea weeds, shells, mussels, fish, crabs and other animals. We gathered everything in boxes to determine the different weeds and shells and so on.

Deep water biology

We got snorkling equipment (two wetsuits) and gathered weeds, shells, mussels, fish, crabs and other animals and determine it afterwards

Overnighting on island

Maybe the most challenging activity.We had to spent a night on an island equipped just by the content of a day pack. Without an isolation mat or sleeping bag. Beside of spending the night on the island we set out a net to catch fish.

 

Expectations:

I was looking forward to that trip to gain my Knowledge of the life in the eco-system of the Norwegian south coast. Beside that I wanted to learn some hard skills in fishing, rowing, the use of outboard engines, sea kayaking, navigation at sea and snorkelling. I was a little bit worried of the Island survival to spend the night outside and to prepare and arrange a dinner using just raw materials from the sea. Beside the learning outcome I was looking forward to spend some more time with the Norwegian students.

 

Learning outcome:

On the Randoya -trip I was able to enhance my personal knowledge about Friluftsliv on the coast. Even if I had some Knowledge about fishing, kajaking and rowing before, my sensitivity towards those activities has increased with more experience.

We learned the essential knowledge about biology at the Norwegian south coast, learned how to use of outboard engines and got some information’s about regulations and navigation at sea.

The trip challenges us especially with the Island survival night we would be out of our “comfort zone” and experienced how an unplanned night on an Island fees like. It wasn´t a problem to arrange a dinner by using just raw materials from the sea but it was quite challenging to spent the night on the Island without a sleeping bag. After the fishing we gathered some trash on the Island because it there were a lot of plastic- and polystyrene that was lying there for a long time. Especially after the sea biology unit I thought we should care more about the beautiful nature on the Islands. I would suggest to add the gathering of trash as a task for the Island survival night. We could clean the Island and be a good role model as veileaders.

Personal Outcome:

All in all I am really grateful for the trip and for the activities weather it’s Kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, rowing, motorised boats, diving or biology. I was a little bit disappointed that we could not sail but even though it was one of my favourite trips this year.